


Black Horizons

by GwendolynGrace



Series: Blackstory [16]
Category: Alternity - A Harry Potter Alternate Universe, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter Alternity - Fandom
Genre: Blackstory, Canon Backstory, Canon Compliant, Gen, HP Alternity, RPG
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-08
Updated: 2015-09-08
Packaged: 2018-04-19 19:11:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4757705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GwendolynGrace/pseuds/GwendolynGrace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Regulus tries to warn Sirius that Snape thinks something's wrong with Lupin....</p>
            </blockquote>





	Black Horizons

**Author's Note:**

> Written 2008-2010. This is one of a series of "Blackstory" - backstory about the Blacks - that I wrote while playing in the RPG HP Alternity. The actions of the characters were approved by the players at the time of writing. Because these take place prior to our divergence from canon, they are also largely canon-compliant.

1975

 

‘Sirius, I want a word.’

Sirius looked up. His brother, from this angle, looked nearly as tall as their father. In the five months since Sirius had left home, the two had barely exchanged a dozen words. Now Regulus, in addition to looming over him like Mr Filch on a bad day, clearly expected Sirius to rise and step away from the tree he was using as a backrest.

‘What about?’ he asked, not moving.

‘It’s private,’ Regulus insisted, glance taking in the three boys sitting nearby.

‘Want us to drub him off?’ Peter offered, earning an eyeroll from Regulus. 

‘You couldn’t if you tried, Pettigrew. Sirius, will you come away?’

Sirius scowled at his brother. ‘If this is some back-handed message from Mother—’

‘No, it’s not. I need to talk to you.’ His eyes darted to James and Remus another moment, then closed. ‘Please,’ he added, re-opening his eyelids to show earnest.

‘It’s a trick,’ James muttered under his breath.

‘No, it’s not,’ Regulus repeated, but less scornfully. ‘It’s private.’

Sirius sighed. He stood, shaking his head when James shifted as well. ‘It’s all right,’ he told his friend. ‘We’re not going far,’ he added as a warning to both parties. 

He led Regulus down the hill a few paces, far enough away that even Lupin could not hear a normal conversation, but not so far that the other three could not join him quickly if Reg had been baiting a trap. ‘Well?’

Reg looked over his shoulder to the tree where James was watching carefully. ‘You make this really difficult,’ he observed.

‘You’re the one who wanted to talk to me,’ Sirius countered. ‘What is it?’

‘It’s…I want to know what’s going on with you. Lately, I mean.’

Sirius stared at him. ‘You’re kidding, right? Did Father tell you to—’

‘Father told me not to bother speaking to you. I want to know for my own interest, okay?’

‘Well, I’m fine. I’m better than fine. What does it matter?’

‘What about summer?’ Reg bit his lip and looked away nervously.

‘I’ve got it settled,’ Sirius said confidently. ‘Happy?’

Reg looked anything but. He crossed and uncrossed his arms, finally settling them in his robe pockets. ‘You can’t stay here, even Dumbledore wouldn’t let you do that.’

‘Who said I’m staying here?’ Sirius laughed. ‘Don’t be daft.’

‘Don’t tell me you expect to stay with Potter all summer,’ he said, eyes widening. ‘Sirius, if Father finds out—’

‘He’ll what?’ Sirius interrupted darkly. ‘Try to kill him again? You tell Father if he comes after the Potters I’ll personally give him a duel he’ll not soon forget.’

‘You couldn’t win,’ Reg retorted.

‘Ten O.W.L.s and O’s in Defence, Charms and Transfiguration – I think I’ll do well enough.’

'So what? You and Potter act like no one else has ever got 10 OWLS before. You act like you own this place but it can’t protect you forever. And—’ he broke off, reddening.

‘And what? Out with it, Reg, let’s have it.’ Sirius fingered his wand.

‘And your commentary on Quidditch last week? Nearly the whole side are looking to hex you. It sounded like you think Rosier's the worst player you've ever seen. You said Potter would wipe the field with us, we all heard you.'

'Well, he will do,' Sirius said diffidently. ‘You and the Razzer can’t possibly make up for Rosier’s fumble-fingers. James’ll score three hundred points before you catch the Snitch.’

'Piss off,' Regulus snapped.

'So, you think my friends are wankers (right back at you, by the way), and you’re upset because I insulted your team?' Sirius surmised. But his anger was fading now at the absurdity of his brother’s claims. 'How else do I fail you, little brother?'

Reg’s fists clenched in his pockets and Sirius saw James rise to his knees. Before he could hold up a staying hand, however, he watched the tension drain from Reg’s face, changing to disappointment. Plaintively, his brother said: 'What's going on? Ever since last summer there's something...different about you.'

Sirius barked out a laugh. 'Wait a year or two, Reg, and you'll start growing hair on y--'

'Not what I mean, and you know it, don't be disgusting. You're...I dunno, you're always so self-righteous these days. And there's another thing--' he cut himself off, however, and looked away moodily.

'What? What other thing?'

'Your mate, Lupin,' Regulus said quietly. 'Snape thinks there's something dodgy there.'

Sirius could tell from the somber tone that they’d finally arrived at the real reason for Regulus’ approach. A shadow crossed his face, but he scoffed a moment later, deliberately, to laugh it off. 'He's thought that since our first time on the Hogwarts Express, Reg, don't tell me he's got you convinced. There's nothing wrong with Lupin. He's just a little sickly, that's all.'

'But he's not, that's the point. Last month, he was supposedly ill and that's why he missed the prefects' meeting. But Snape says he carried some sheeps’ livers to Madam Pomfrey for Professor Slughorn, after supper, and Lupin wasn't there. The ward was empty. So if he was ill, where was he?'

Sirius shrugged. 'Maybe he was having a bath. I don't know. But it doesn't mean--'

'Sirius, listen to me. Snape has a theory. He might want to test it. Soon.'

'What sort of theory?' Sirius asked. He left unspoken the other question: 'Why are you telling me?' The suspicion in his voice communicated that clearly enough.

'The sort of theory that, if he's right, might put Lupin out of school,' Regulus hedged. 'I've always thought Lupin's a decent sort. Not like Potter or that little one-man fan club you've got in Pettigrew. Never quite saw why Lupin bothered with you two, in fact. But Snape...he's really smarting over what happened. After your O.W.L.s.'

Sirius sniggered. 'He brought that on himself,' he began.

'No, he didn't, but that's beside the point,' Regulus interrupted. 'The _point_ is that he's nosing about, looking for revenge. You ought to know that. Look, Lupin may be a w-- wanker, especially if he likes you and Potter. But he doesn't deserve expulsion.'

Sirius took a step towards his brother. All traces of his attitude of disdain drained from his face. Through tight lips and teeth, he said: 'You listen to me, Reg. If Snape tries anything, _anything_ , to get Lupin expelled, he'll come out the worse for it. I mean it. If he knows what's good for him, he'll leave off.'

'Threats?' Regulus frowned. 'You sound like Mother.'

'I'm serious,' Sirius said, and for once he didn't even wince at the pun. 'I don't mean we'll fix his broom for him, Reg. I mean-- Just. He needs to back off.'

'So there _is_ something woolly about Lupin?'

'Not _woolly_ , no,' Sirius said grinning. 'Quite the opposite, in some ways.'

'What?'

'Nothing. Private joke. It doesn't matter. _My_ point is that messing about with Lupin could be more than a bad decision for Snivellus. It could be dangerous.'

'Dangerous? Why, because you'll take down his pants again?'

'No. If he gets himself in trouble over Lupin it'll be his own fault, none of mine,' Sirius pronounced solemnly.

Regulus regarded his brother for a tense few seconds. Then, 'Bollocks,’ he concluded. ‘You're full of shit, you know that?'

'Yeah, so I've heard,' Sirius said, rolling his eyes. 'Fine. Go on back to Snape like a good little goblin and don't blame me if he doesn't recognise sound advice when he hears it.'

'Whatever. I don't know why I tried warning you, anyway,' Regulus said.

‘That’s easy,’ Sirius grinned.

‘Oh, bugger off,’ Regulus replied in frustration. Before Sirius could tease him further, he stalked away.

James, Remus and Peter surrounded him while his brother withdrew toward the greenhouses. Sirius kept his focus on Regulus until he joined a group of boys just where the path met the rise of the hill. One of the young men waved jauntily to Reg as he approached.

‘All right, Sirius?’ James asked first. 

‘Never better,’ Sirius answered.

‘Are you sure?’ Remus wondered. ‘A couple times it looked like you were about to draw wands.’

Sirius smiled with false reassurance. ‘For Blacks, that’s like shaking hands, Moony. Everything’s fine.’

‘What did he want, then?’ James demanded.

Reg’s warning about Snape echoed in Sirius’ head. Snape was just vindictive enough to want to strike back at James through Remus, but he would not allow it. He could outsmart Snape any day of the week, OWLs or no. 

‘He just wanted to whinge about my commentary in last week’s match against Ravenclaw,’ Sirius replied. ‘I think he was spying for Mother, really. It’s sick how they can’t do without me.’ He clapped Peter on the shoulder. ‘Hungry? I could murder a steak and kidney pie. Let’s go down the kitchens and get a snack, hey?’

Peter could be counted on to endorse any plan that resulted in food. Fairly soon they were all slipping through the portrait of fruit, laughing about their next adventure. Sirius promised himself he would tell James later – without Moony around to worry about Snape’s vendetta against him. Together, he was sure, they could protect their makeshift brotherhood from any and all incursions.


End file.
